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Breast reduction cosmetic surgery is generally considered a safe and not a rigorous procedure, but patients should know about the potential risks associated with the surgery. Typical risks include the chance of infection, poor anesthesia reaction, and irregular nipple height. However, the potential benefits of breast reduction usually outweigh the risks associated with the surgery.

The breast surgeon will discuss about the potential risks and complications during the initial breast reduction consultation. The first goal of the surgeon will be to help the patient make an informed decision. Experienced plastic surgeon Dr. Bryson Richards provides breast reduction to patients in Las Vegas, NV and nearby areas.

Asymmetrical Breasts

One of the risks after breast reduction plastic surgery is that breasts may become significantly asymmetrical. However, if the procedure is performed by an experienced surgeon, this risk will be very rare. But if this condition occurs, it can be corrected by a subsequent revision surgery.

At the same time, patients should know that breasts are not entirely symmetrical. A minor difference in size and shape is natural, and should not prompt additional corrective surgery.

Irregular Nipple Height

Breast reduction involves changing the size and shape of the breasts and shifting of some skin. Therefore, there is a risk that the nipples will not be placed at the same height after reduction. In some cases, the nipple and areola will be detached and grafted back on the breast.

In other cases, the nipple will remain attached, but the breast skin will be altered to fit the smaller sized breasts. In both approaches, the risk of nipple height becoming uneven exists.

Changes in Sensation

Loss of sensation in the breast is a risk following reduction mammaplasty, particularly if the areola has been removed and then grafted. Although areola grafting is aesthetically pleasing, the detachment from the breast tissue could lead to loss of sensation in the nipples.

To some extent, even non-grafting breast reduction procedures have the risk of altered sensation in the nipples or breasts as a whole. Sometimes this change of sensation may be temporary, but in rare cases, the sensation loss can be permanent.

Breastfeeding Issues

Following breast reduction, it is possible that the woman may not be able to breastfeed. The amount of risk will depend on the type of surgical technique applied for the procedure. In case of traditional anchor pattern breast reduction, the risk affecting the ability to breastfeed increases. Several milk ducts are removed in this type of reduction, making it more difficult to breastfeed in the future.

In case of vertical incision breast reduction, the risk of not being able to breastfeed is reduced. In this case, at least a part of the nipple will remain connected to the milk ducts. Breastfeeding risks in breast reduction are usually minimal if the patient has more fatty tissue and less glandular tissue, and breast reduction is performed using liposuction.

Infection is another common risk in breast reduction, just like any other surgery. Patients in Las Vegas, NV and nearby areas have an opportunity to receive breast reduction performed by Dr. Richards.

Breast reduction cosmetic surgery procedure can help to create more proportionately sized breasts, and at the same time, alleviate pain and discomfort in the neck, back and shoulders. Women who are considering breast reduction should learn about the steps involved in the procedure, and then make a careful decision about going ahead with the surgery.

During the initial consultation, the breast surgeon will explain the procedure steps to educate the patient and help her make an informed choice. Patients should feel free to ask questions and relieve themselves of any pre-surgery anxiety. Dr. Bryson Richards is an experienced plastic surgeon providing breast reduction to patients in Las Vegas, NV and surrounding communities.

Consultation and Preparation

Prior to the breast reduction plastic surgery procedure, the surgeon will conduct a detailed consultation. The patient will have the opportunity to discuss her personal aesthetic goals from the procedure, and have her medical history evaluate to determine candidacy. The surgeon will also provide the guidelines for pre-operative preparation to help ensure that the surgery goes safe and smooth.

Administering Anesthesia

The first step in the breast reduction surgery will be to place the patient under general anesthesia. In a few cases, local anesthesia with IV sedation may be used. General anesthesia will put the patient to deep sleep during the procedure. A qualified anesthesiologist or a nurse anesthetist may be present throughout the surgery to monitor the patient’s response. The patient may experience mild side effects of anesthesia for a few hours after the surgery.

Incision Placement

Breast reduction will involve one of three incision techniques: an anchor incision, a vertical incision or a scarless incision. The anchor incision is a traditional incision made around the areola, vertically down the breast, and then horizontally along the breast crease.

The vertical incision is placed around the areolar border and vertically down the breast for reduced scarring. A scarless incision involves tiny incisions made at the breast crease or at the armpit, and the excess fat is removed through liposuction.

Surgical Reduction

Through the incisions, the surgeon will remove excess fat, tissue and skin from the lower portion of the breast. If the patient has largely fat tissue in the breasts, she may just require liposuction to reduce the breast size. This will result in minimal scarring, less breast tissue trauma, and reduced chances of complications.

Nipple Repositioning

In case of breast reduction, the surgeon will reposition the nipples higher up on the breast. The procedure may or may involve removal of the nipple from the breast and then grafting it in the desired place. Women with very large breasts usually require the nipple to be removed for repositioning. The surgeon will let the patient know in advance whether or not nipple sensation may be altered or completely lost as a result.

Closing the Incision

The surgeon will close the incisions using removable or dissolvable sutures. The technique used for sealing the incisions will be discussed prior to the surgery. Dr. Richards is a dedicated and standout cosmetic surgeon who receives patients from Las Vegas, NV and nearby areas for .

The sticker price is one of the key starting points for many women who want to receive breast reduction cosmetic surgery procedure. The breast surgeon will explain the cost aspects in detail and enable a woman to make a well-informed decision about undergoing breast reduction. The patient should consider the costs of the procedure in context of the quality standards and services offered at a particular practice.

Breast reduction costs can vary from one practice to another and even from one patient to another at the same practice in a few cases. Insurance coverage, whether full or partial, may sometimes be available in case of breast reduction surgery. Dr. Bryson Richards is a dedicated plastic surgeon providing breast reduction to patients in Las Vegas, NV and surrounding communities.

Factors Impacting the Price

The dollar figure of breast reduction plastic surgery will be influenced by several factors. Some of the key financial components that constitute the overall cost may include:

Fee charged by the breast surgeon

Surgical venue costs

Fee of the anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist

Mammograms and other pre- and post-surgical tests

Prescription drugs

Surgical bra and compression garment

Post-op visits to the surgeon’s office

Breast reduction will often be performed as an outpatient procedure. But in a few cases, overnight hospital stay may be required, which will add to this surgical episode. Other factors that will affect the costs include:

Location of the practice

Skill and experience of the operating surgeon

Extent of surgery and type of surgical technique

Need for additional procedures such as liposuction

Costs and Quality Relationship

In a few cases, the patient may get unusually low priced offers for breast reduction. The patient should treat such offers with abundant caution and conduct their own due diligence before selecting the practice just because the price appears too compelling. Such offers may entail some hidden charges, which the patient will only learn about later.

The patient should ideally choose a practice for its quality standards, the services and facilities offered, and the credentials of the cosmetic surgeon who will perform breast reduction. Safety and predictability of results along with reasonable costs should be the right factors to consider for such a major surgery. Dr. Richards receives patients from Las Vegas, NV and nearby areas for reduction mammaplasty and other procedures.

Insurance Aspect

Breast reduction is among the handful of cosmetic procedures where the insurer may cover the full or partial costs under specific conditions. If the patient needs breast reduction solely to treat medical problems caused due to excessively large breasts, she may be eligible for insurance coverage.

Nagging pain in the back, shoulders or neck, repetitive skin infections and rashes caused at the base of the breast due to oversized, sagging breasts may make breast reduction a medically necessary treatment with insurance coverage.

The patient should talk to their insurer and the surgeon well in advance. The surgeon’s office may be able to support with legitimate insurance paperwork in cases where they determine that breast reduction is medically recommended.

Women with oversized, sagging breasts will usually make sterling candidates for breast reduction cosmetic surgery. Excessively large breasts can lead to pain in the neck and back, limit a woman’s lifestyle choices and activities, create shoulder discomfort or indents where bra straps are support, and even lead to breathing issues.

Candidates for reduction mammaplasty will usually feel burdened by the large size of their breasts. Following breast reduction, these candidates can usually achieve a more proportional figure and renewed feeling of self-confidence and physical relief. Dr. Bryson Richards is an experienced plastic surgeon providing breast reduction to patients in Las Vegas, NV, and surrounding communities.

Candidate Characteristics

Ideal candidates for breast reduction plastic surgery will include women who are bothered by the appearance of large, pendulous breasts. The breasts will typically get in the way of their everyday activities and cause occasional or persistent pain and discomfort. A majority of woman candidates who choose to undergo breast reduction are concerned about eliminating physical pain and irritation above all else.

However, even in cases where a woman is not much troubled by the physical effects of oversized breasts, she may still want to have breast reduction to achieve an enhanced self-image – one of the several benefits of this surgery. Some women may also like to receive this procedure to fit better into clothing of their choice.

Breast reduction is ideally recommended only for candidates who are mature and have fully developed breasts. But in exceptional cases, the surgery can be performed on younger candidates if their breasts are causing significant physical hardship and pain. The procedure should not be performed on women who have plans to breastfeed because the surgery will remove many of the milk ducts that lead to the nipples.

Candidacy for Specific Types of Reduction

Women in general who want to receive breast reduction should have realistic expectations about the surgery and be knowledgeable about the surgical options available to them. With this knowledge, they can engage more effectively with the cosmetic surgeon to determine their candidacy for a particular breast reduction technique.

Women with excessively large breasts may be good candidates for traditional anchor pattern breast reduction surgery. This technique allows for a significant amount of excess skin and breast tissue to be removed than other techniques. The traditional technique is also more effective for candidates who have more glandular tissue than fat. This is often the case for women with excessively dense breast tissue, very thin women, and the ones who have not yet reached menopause.

Vertical incision breast reduction may be more appropriate for women with moderate to large breasts. Women requiring the removal of very large amounts of breast tissue and fat may not be good candidates for this method. Women with more of fatty breast tissue than glandular tissue may be stellar candidates for scarless breast reduction because liposuction can only reduce the volume of fat in the breast.

Dr. Richards receives patients from Las Vegas, NV and nearby areas for breast reduction and various other surgical and non-surgical procedures.